Chapter 78: The Spoor of the Elves

Chapter 78:

The Spoor of Elves

A day had passed without any movements from Silas, leaving Meredith to stay by his bedside, beginning to lose some hope of his nephew waking up. As he sat to the side of the bed, he heard a noise. Hearing a soft knock, Meredith straightened his back and turned towards the door, "Come in."

The door creaked open, and Eva pushed her head through the crack, glancing over at Silas, then at Meredith with a look of concern, "How is he?" Eva asked, her voice low.

"Nothing's changed." Meredith said, staring down at his nephew's still form, "I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing at this point." Meredith sighed and leaned back, his hand rubbing over his tired eyes. Eva stepped into the room, closing the door behind her with a gentle push of her hand, as she then went to Meredith's side. As he continued to rub his hand over his eyes, Eva placed a hand on his shoulder, giving it a small squeeze.

Meredith had taken on the primary responsibility of tending to Silas, who still had not moved in days. Meredith had refused to say it, but everyone was beginning to consider the fact that Silas would never wake up. Though multiple doctors had been called to check on Silas, they all said the same thing: the only person who could wake up Silas was himself.

"He's lived through so much before," Meredith said quietly, "I can't imagine that this is the thing that ends him."

"We all have demons we have to fight." Eva said, nostalgic eyes staring at Silas's peaceful face, "Maybe Silas is finally fighting them now."

"Maybe." Meredith said with a heavy sigh, "Did they learn anything?"

Eva was silent for a moment, which caused Meredith to sigh again as she said, "I won't give up so easily. I feel responsible for this situation, so I will fix it."

"But if Silas doesn't wake up, then it's all pointless." Meredith said, dropping his hand from his face.

"Meredith," Eva said, gently squeezing his shoulder again, "It's not pointless. We've all put in too much effort for this to be pointless. And Silas knows that more than anyone, so don't give up on him just yet. We will find Silas's family, and Silas will wake up."

"You're right." Meredith said, placing his hand on hers, "It's just frustrating to watch him like this. I wish I could do something, instead of just waiting."

Eva looked down at Meredith's head, looking at the long, smooth strands of blue hair that grew so abundantly that he had a head full of shiny, soft hair. Meredith had it tied up in a ponytail, keeping his hair out of his face, and Eva could not help but notice that the back of his neck was exposed by his hair being pulled up. Short hairs that fell out of the ponytail rested on the back of his neck, bending with the movement of his neck as he bent forward to touch Silas's arm.

As it became silent between the two of them, Eva considered what she had just said. She was never one to reassure people, so the words she had spoken felt foreign in her mouth. She also hated being reassured by others, but Meredith had supported her when she was at a low point, so she felt it was only right that she was finally able to return the favor. She also noticed that Meredith took to heart what she had said, so she left it.

Not long after did their conversation dull, and the two sat side by side, watching over Silas as he slept, his calm face hiding the turmoil he was feeling as he dreamed. The only movement was the rising and falling of Silas's chest.

Eva closed her eyes momentarily, feeling a rush of exhaustion come over her as her eyes shut.

"Silas!" Meredith shouted, jumping out of his seat. Eva ripped her eyes open, her heart racing as she stared at Meredith, then Silas's still form. Nothing about Silas had changed. Eva glanced over at Meredith, her brow raised, but he shook his head fervently.

"I know what it looks like, but his hand twitched. I saw it!" Meredith said rapidly, his eyes lightening in joy. He reached over and placed his hand on Silas's arm, giving it a gentle shake. Eva watched in disbelief, but as each moment passed with no movement from Silas, Eva's face dropped.

"Come on, Silas. I know you just moved. Wake up, okay?" Meredith pleaded, shaking Silas's arm again with more urgency. Eva watched in silence, her disappointment and sadness for Meredith growing as Meredith continued to shake Silas's thin arm, his voice dripping with desperation.

"Come on, Silas. Everyone's been waiting for you to get up."

Eva shook her head, preparing to calm Meredith down, when she heard a small groan. She immediately snapped to attention while Meredith whipped his head around to look at her.

"Was that-?" Eva asked, not finishing her sentence.

Meredith slowly nodded, a smile growing on his face.

"But it could mean nothing." Eva said, trying not to let Meredith get his hopes too high, in case he was going to be disappointed.

"But there's the chance it could be something, and that's enough for me." Meredith said, his smile contagious as a small smile came to Eva's lips.

…

Inside the garden, the festivities were still ongoing and led by Queen Racliffe herself. Many of the noble ladies enjoyed tea as they stood in groups, moving to and fro as they discussed current affairs and other hobbies that they had undertaken. Even though music was playing, led by a small quartet of the Yursear Kingdom's most famous instrumentalists, there were still faint sounds of birds chirping and animals moving in the forest. The first shot, reserved to the prince himself, would be shot shortly.

Captain Laurent, standing to the side of the pavilion as he greeted the passing noblewomen and children, watched over the garden with a relaxed expression, appearing as if nothing were chipping away in his relaxed demeanor.

Finding a traitor amongst the candidates isn't surprising. Beau smiled and bowed to a Bethellian noblewoman as he thought to himself, but the thought of one of the palace attendants colluding with a candidate is treasonous. They would have to be a fool to do that. Once he had discovered the traitor's presence, there were few days before the hunt, and even fewer days to investigate any leads. This left Beau only enough time to eliminate a sizable number of people from his list of suspects, but not enough to narrow anything down. Prince Clarence had assured him that this method would work, but the captain had doubts. Beau sighed as he thought back to what Clarence had said.

"After the first shot, there will be a loud sound, loud enough to startle the birds in the forest. When the birds scatter, you will need to act as though there is a threat and take the candidates away from the garden to the forest. The palace servants will assist you if needed." Clarence smiled as he said this, gazing out the window with a smile as he spoke. "Remember, there is no room for error, Captain Laurent."

Beau blinked as his gaze passed over the candidates, passing over Charlotte and Olicia, who were sipping tea with Sagara and Philomena, looking like a group of great friends visiting. However, watching the interactions between the four, Beau could see the tips of Marchioness Hallan's fingers trembling as she held her teacup, her fear palpable to the trained eye.

It wouldn't be her. She was already attacked in the garden with Marquis Cyneric.

His gaze traveled towards the two accomplices often accompanying Duchess Bernard, Countess Annmaria Reid and Duchess Ophira Carrillo. Without Cordelia's presence, the two nobles seemed to have reduced their presence, most likely attempting to regain favor after the incident at the ball, after the duchess had ripped the prince's insignia. The duchess had been banned from attending the hunt, but it did not mean she would not be involved.

Beau continued to hold his post, his eyes watching the candidates as they moved around the garden in their established groups. The instrumentalists continued to play a lively melody, keeping the atmosphere warm in the cooling weather. The party fell into a peaceful lull until the sound of the royal horn sang through the forest, chiming quietly into the garden as the sound traveled through the thick forest.

"The first arrow has been shot!" An attendant announced proudly.

The nearby nobles clapped as the queen sat on her throne under the temporary pavilion. Her gaze was warm, full of pride for her unruly son who had finally adhered to her wishes. The guests clapped and smiled, sending the prince more well wishes as they wondered what type of prey the prince had hunted first. Was it a large animal? Was it ferocious? They would have to wait for the prince to parade the dead creature like a trophy, like many before him.

Shortly after the first shot had taken place, there was a thudding sound. The sound was not loud enough to penetrate the forest, but it startled the nearby birds into a frenzy. The group of wild birds chirped and cawed, flying towards the sky and away from a further point of the forest as Beau watched with careful eyes.

Something's wrong. He thought to himself as he inhaled through his nose, sniffing the area around the forest. There's a strange smell coming from the forest. It was not a smell the captain recognized, but it was strong enough to smell from this distance away. The smell itself was almost peppery, but there was a burning hint that made the hairs on the back of Beau's neck stand tall in warning.

Captain Laurent stood tall, his hand resting on his sword as he inhaled in through his nose, attempting to catch the tail of the scent through the forest, but it was difficult to pinpoint where the smell was coming from. Whatever it was, it was a scent full of herbs and grass, smothered in the sickening scent of blood. Beau's eyes narrowed as he sniffed the air again, this time stepping closer towards the forest. This scent… it's the scent of mana. It's faint, but I can smell it. It was the smell of an elf, a forest elf. The smell was similar to that elven man he had captured near Cailith, but the smell of mana around this elf was stronger.

After the mass genocide of the elves from the Yursear Kingdom, there were few elves brave enough to hide within the kingdom. Many of them evacuated their villages and entered the Faelfier Kingdom, while some chose the Khymal Empire to avoid overcrowding at the cost of neutrality between the Khymal Empire and the Yursear Kingdom. To smell an elf this far into the Yursear Kingdom could only mean trouble.

The prince made that request, but can I really complete it? He thought, moving his gaze over the gathered candidates once again before he resumed his forward gaze, sighing inwardly. It's almost time. I have to decide.

However, the captain's decision had already been made for him. After standing with Charlotte for half the event, Olicia found herself hungry. They had only eaten some of the small dishes presented by the servants. The more filling dishes were yet to be served, as it was early in the afternoon, and the noblemen and the prince had yet to return from the forest with their trophies. If she had to wait for them any longer, Olicia felt she would become mad with hunger.

After a quick word with Charlotte, Olicia moved to the dessert table, plucking delicate, bite-sized desserts and placing them onto a small serving plate as she cautiously watched the other guests, feeling out of place in such a posh environment. While she was concerned of bringing shame to her family name, Olicia did not feel particularly interested in the affairs of the other nobles. Instead, she busied herself with a plate of sweets she had smuggled like a squirrel, walking towards the edge of the forest near a less busy corner to eat them in peace, somewhere she still could watch the party guests but escape from the noisy, hectic atmosphere for a short moment.

As she bit into a small, creamy pastry, she noticed Countess Annmaria and Duchess Ophira standing by the forest edge, a short distance away from where she was currently standing, just far enough for no one to see them from the garden. Olicia quietly shuffled back, finding a spot to watch them clearly without being seen. Olicia looked at her hiding spot, then sighed again. She just would not learn her lesson. Even almost being murdered did not scare her off from an investigation. She glanced around before wiping the corners of her mouth with her handkerchief.

She could not make out what the two were saying, but she did see the two having a heated discussion quietly amongst themselves before Annmaria shook her head and walked into the woods, quickly followed by Ophira, who looked annoyed.

Once the two candidates could no longer be heard, Olicia finished chewing the creamy cake in her mouth before she swallowed it and thought, Why would they go into the woods like that? Olicia thought, licking the chocolate crumbs from around her lips. Everyone knows the hunt is still going on. What would happen if they were to run into a wild animal? All the candidates were on edge. This was their last chance to impress the prince, their last chance to make a good impression on the people and the queen herself. Why would they leave at such a crucial time?

Olicia grabbed a chocolate truffle from her plate and put it in her mouth, chewing thoughtfully, Did Cordelia put them up to something? While the duchess could not be at the hunt personally, there was no reason she could not send her two palace members to do something in her place. I should tell the others. Olicia shook her head, dusting the last of the crumbs off of her coat as she wiped her hands on the sides of her pants. This could be a good excuse to get them into the forest with me.

Olicia hurried back to Charlotte, joining Sagara and Philomena with her as the three walked back towards the princess, appearing as if they were going to chat about some interesting custom from Sagara's kingdom. Stepping to the side, the group soon disappeared under the shadows of the forest, standing where Annmaria and Ophira had disappeared from only a short time ago.

"Let's hurry inside. I don't want to miss them." Philomena said haughtily. Her thoughts, however, were focused on Marquis Cyneric, who had joined his father rather than joining the hunt as most young noblemen would. Philomena found Marquis Cyneric's refusal to hunt to be quite attractive. She had a great deal of admiration for a man who could think independently, and who was not afraid to refuse to follow set traditions, such as participating in the hunt. It was something she wished she could do more herself.

As they prepared to step into the woods, Sagara looked over her shoulder and said, "What about your knight, Charlotte?" Sagara asked, looking over her shoulder.

Charlotte shook her head, taking a step towards the forest, "Leave him. If Basch knew I was doing this, he would take me back to the garden and babysit me the entire time. If anything happens, he won't be far." Stepping into the forest, Charlotte disappeared behind the foliage, quickly joined by Philomena and the reluctant Olicia, who swallowed her fears and quickly joined them, shutting her eyes tightly as she stepped forward, beginning to solve the mystery laid before her. At least this time, she was not alone.

There was only a short amount of time before Charlotte's knight noticed her disappearance. Standing within view of the forest edge, he could see some parts of the bushes disturbed by human traffic, including some muddy imprints pressed into the wet dirt before the trees. Stepping forward, her knight stepped around the nobles dancing and chatting and quietly exited from view, attracting the eye of Captain Laurent.

The knight had already quietly disappeared from view, but the captain was watchful, and followed the man with a persistent pace, being mindful to keep his presence low. However, even Beau's greatest efforts could not mask him from Charlotte's startling observant knight, who stopped in the middle of a small clearing, only feet into the forest, where the music of the garden could still be heard clearly.

"What is it, Captain Laurent?" While Princess Charlotte's knight used formal language, his tone was barely better than his poor expression as he spoke. "

Captain Laurent responded, "Please allow me to lead the candidates. As the second captain to the royal moon squad, I am one of the most familiar with the safe spaces within palace grounds."

The knight responded dryly, "I was made well aware of them before the princess's arrival. You may return to your post, Captain."

"The candidates are my responsibility, Knight Basch." Beau stated directly, staring at the influx of nobles entering the palace. "The prince has entrusted me with the duty of protecting the princesses. If anything were to happen, it would be a disgrace to the entire Yursear Kingdom. I would prefer this situation be taken care of immediately."

With a quiet tsk, Princess Charlotte's knight no longer refuted Beau's words and walked ahead of the man towards the side of the forest. The longer he stood bickering with the persistent man, the further the princess would get. Though he could easily find her, the longer she was in the forest without a guard, the more likely she was to get hurt. Especially with a traitor among them.

The beautiful garden's flowers were blooming in full vigor, the vibrant autumn grasses full of warm orange and red colors of life. The tents were still full of guests unknowingly laughing and dancing as they wandered the decorated palace gardens, and a strange liveliness fell over the area as Beau took one more glance towards the palace grounds. The instruments were held in the skillful hands of the palace instrumentalist, and food embellished with flowers and garnishes as it traveled on silver platters into the hands of nobles. It was truly the quiet before the storm, a sight to witness, he thought as he turned his back away from the lively scene and back towards the forest, where the fiancée candidates had disappeared into the woods. Quickly, he lifted his feet and followed, holding his hand on his sword hilt as he followed the sound of footsteps.

…

Far into the forest, a woman stood next to a tall oak tree, her face and body full of dirt and plant debris as she wiped her lips with the back of her hand, wiping away a thin strand of blood that had dripped down her chin. Her white blonde hair was matted and dirty, no longer recognizable as her eyes narrowed fiercely, displaying the crows feet at the edges of her eyes. In her hand was a makeshift dagger, sharpened and dangerous.

The aura of death leaked from her skin, making the forest temperature cool and the breeze fall stiff. Small cuts dusted her arms, where the thin fabric shirt had been torn randomly and dirtied with sweat and blood. Her skin was no longer pale white, as it was now layered with dirt that had been caked onto her skin like layers. Even her hair was dirtied, no longer holding the bright luster it once had.

"That damn prince… he won't get away with this." Maeir's green eyes were dripping with killing intent, her knuckles white with tension as she held the wooden dagger at her hip. "Now, it's time to repay my son's debt, you Yursinean bastard."

Her son had been trying so hard to find her, but in the end, that Yursinean bastard killed him first. That creature laughed as he spoke about Silas and his corpse in great detail, disgustingly so. He mocked her, taunted her as she attempted to grieve the loss, trapped in that damn dungeon. There was no reprieve, only suffering. Now that she and her children had escaped, it was her chance to avenge Silas, her chance to kill the last obstacle blocking her path and save her children.

…

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